The present invention relates generally to bird decoys, and, more particularly, to a device that provides a means for decoy support, directional stability, and controlled movement.
Hunters and wildlife photographers use decoys as a means to attract wild animals. It is widely accepted that decoys equipped with a device providing for movement can be more effective in attracting wildlife than stationary decoys. Duck, goose and turkey decoys are among the most common bird decoys in use. They are constructed in various designs and of different materials. At present, many commercially produced decoys are constructed of a rigid synthetic material, such a plastic, and are hollow shells with a large openings on their underside. Decoys of this design allow direct access to their rigid interior for the attachment of movement devices and supporting stakes. Among the more recent developments in decoys are those constructed of thin flexible materials, such as foam or rubber, and those of PVC which are designed to be inflatable. An advantage of these decoys made of flexible materials is that they can be compressed and folded into a compact size for transport by the hunter. A disadvantage of these newer decoys is the lack of innovative devices for support and movement.
Due to their usefulness, many devices have been invented to provide support and movement to decoys. Often, these inventions are complex and expensive to produce. Notably, many of these prior art inventions were designed to be fitted within the body cavity of a decoy, and require a fixed, rigid attachment by the use of screws and other fasteners, to the rigid walls of the decoy body. Examples of such movement devices are shown described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,953, to McKinney; U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,942 to Lanius; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,654, to Denny.
The most common, simplest, and least expensive method of providing support and/or movement to a decoy is by use of a vertical pin, pointed at both ends, which is often called a support stake. One end of the stake is pressed into the ground by the user. A decoy shell is placed over and balanced upon the opposite, top end of the support stake. Typically, the stake extends vertically through a hole, or opening, on the underside of the decoy and extends up through the hollow decoy body to an attachment point on the inner top surface, where it is free to pivot. These simple, vertical pins provide for support, balance, and decoy movement from wind action. One commercially marketed foam decoy utilizing this a simple staked supporting device, and pointed at both ends, is presently sold under the registered name, Feather-Flex. The pointed upper end presents a potential source of danger to the user when forcing the pin into the ground. In addition, decoys using the simple vertical pin for support often lean or wobble, unnaturally, from side-to-side. Further, they lack a means to provide manual or motorized movement. Another problem with the simple pin design is that it is often difficult to manually align a long stake through the hollow interior of the decoy. Basically, the hunter is xe2x80x9cworking blindxe2x80x9d as he attempts to thread the long pin through the hollow decoy body and properly align it with a slot, hole, or socket on the inside, top surface of a hollow decoy.
While this simple stake device allows for movement of a decoy from wind forces, a common problem encountered with such a support system is that the decoy is free to pivot circumferentially, or rotate in an unrestricted and unnatural manner, and no directional control is possible. One of the attempts at solving a directional control problem may be seen in the Gagnon patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,428. The Gagnon decoy appears to spin freely on the supporting stake, with directional control provided by the wind using an externally mounted, vertical fin. A vertical fin, constructed much like the tail of an airplane, adds an unnatural feature to a bird decoy. In addition, in the absence of wind, directional control appears lacking. It would be an improvement to devise a stake supporting device that would both provide for support and directional control without the added use of an unnatural appearing, vertical fin, and also a device that provided for manual or motorized movement in the absence of wind. As with many prior art devices, the Gagnon decoy appears to require access to an interior decoy surface, and also a rigid mounting surface. Reinke, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,958, shows a mount, or socket, for a vertical support stake, requiring a screw for attachment to the rigid, inner surface of a hollow, flexible turkey decoy. The teachings of Reinke would not be adaptable to a sealed inflatable decoy containing compressed air, due to the lack of access to the interior of an inflatable decoy. Further, the use of a screw through the exterior surface for attaching a securing cap or socket would not be suitable for an inflatable decoy. Many other, similar problems are encountered when applying prior art, decoy support and movement devices, to inflatable decoys. Many of these devices require an inner surface for mounting, and a rigid point of attachment. An externally attached decoy supporting mechanism that did not require a fixed attachment by use of screws or other fasteners would be a unique, novel improvement.
In view of the deficiencies in prior art and in light of the newer type of inflatable decoys, a need has arisen for an improved support and movement system that does not require a fixed, rigid body surface for attachment, one that can be easily attached and detached from an exterior surface without the use of screws or similar fasteners, one that will provide movement and directional stability with or without the presence of wind.
It would be an improvement to have a decoy support and movement device that could be readily adapted for use on decoys of thin flexible materials, that was inexpensive and non-complex, one that is particularly distinguishable from prior art in that it could be easily attached to, and detached from, the exterior surface of a decoy without the use of screws or other similar fasteners, and one that would provide both directional control and natural movement. Further, such a novel device would be particularly useful to a bird hunter if a naturally appearing, side-to-side movement, could be obtained from either the wind, or a remote manually operated string, and suited for use on decoys lacking a rigid mounting surface and lacking access to their interior, such as those decoys of inflatable PVC design.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention includes a decoy mounting system. A ground support stake for supporting the decoy has a semi-circular top portion defining an axially oriented surface and a pointed bottom end. A mounting bracket connects the ground support stake with the decoy and has a socket depending downwardly therefrom to receive the top portion of the ground support stake, where the socket defines an axially oriented bore surface effective to engage the axially oriented surface of the ground support stake to limit rotation of the mounting bracket on the ground support stake.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a decoy supporting device which can be quickly and easily attached to, and detached from, the exterior surface of a decoy without the use of screws or other metal fasteners. The decoy is constructed with an exterior receptor slot on the lower body which is sized to accept a rigid, slide-in, support mounting bracket. Thus, the support bracket can be quickly and easily attached to the decoy and provide for connection to, and support of, the decoy without the use of screws or other metal fasteners. The full connection, clearly visible to the user, eliminates the manual alignment problems of prior art internal stake supports. The support mounting bracket is generally, paddle shaped with a downward projecting socket, but within the scope of this invention may have alternate shapes which allow for a relatively wide mounting surface. The wide-based, support mounting bracket, when inserted into the decoy receptor slot, minimizes unnatural, side-to-side leaning of the decoy. The downward projecting socket provides for acceptance of the ground support stake.
Another object of the invention is to provide a single means for providing support, directional stability, and side-to-side controlled, turning movement. Controlled movement is obtained through interaction of the support mounting bracket and the ground stake. The interior of the support mounting bracket socket contains a longitudinal ridge projecting inward from the side of the interior socket bore. The upper portion of the ground stake is semi-circular. When assembled, interaction between the socket ridge and the top semi-circular portion of the ground stake allows for a ninety degree, side-to-side turning movement from wind action, but further and more importantly, acts as a stop to prevent the decoy from spinning. This improvement over prior art solves the commonly encountered problems of unnatural 360 degree spinning of decoys without the necessity of added parts, such as an externally mounted fin or a rigid attachment of the supporting stake. Alterations in the size of the socket ridge and the semi-circular portion of the stake may be made for altering the degree of side-to-side turning. Other alterations may be made to provide for a natural rocking motion seen in feeding birds. Such alterations remain within the scope of this invention.
The controlled, ninety degree side-to-side turning movement of the decoy is particularly useful to hunters when two or more decoys are used simultaneously, at one set, and initially placed to face in different directions. The resulting, independent, controlled movement of the decoys will be evident to the user and particularly attractive to nearby birds. With the decoys placed facing in different directions, action of the wind will result in one or two birds moving, while one or two will remain stationary. In other words, not all decoys will move at the same time, but only a portion of those placed out will move. This results in natural xe2x80x9cflock actionxe2x80x9d and is a considerable improvement over prior art decoy supporting stakes that allow all decoys, at one set, to spin freely and uncontrolled upon their support stakes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a decoy with alternate means of movement. The support mounting bracket contains a hole, placed at the aft end, that provides the user an attachment point for the end of long string. This improvement eliminates the need to provide an attachment point on the decoy body. By remote, manual operation, the user may manipulate the string and thereby turn the decoy a maximum of ninety degrees. An additional benefit of this herein described invention, not found in prior art, and which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, is the ease at which an electrically operated movement device can be incorporated into this device, where an electrically operated movement device is placed between the support mounting bracket and the support stake or below the support stake. This would provide for the easy attachment of electrically operated movement devices to decoys lacking access to the inner body of the decoy, the need of a rigid decoy surface for attachment, or the use screws or other similar fasteners as commonly seen in prior art mechanical movement devices.